Chapter 44

Chapter 44

“Well, are you going to comply, or am I going to have to call the police?” Andrew asked.

Pete’s eyes drifted to Nikolas.

“Father, you wouldn’t let him call the cops on us, would you?” he asked.

Nikolas turned his head away.

“I think it is best if you leave now,” Nikolas replied.

“Father-”

“You heard the man,” Andrew said. “I’m not going to warn you again.”

Donner growled, as though to accent Andrew’s command.

Pete seemed to struggle between righteous indignation and self-preservation. Behind him, anger was easily winning with Chuck. In the end, self- preservation won out with Pete.

“Fine. We’ll leave, and we won’t be back,” he said.

Pete put his hand on his brother’s shoulder and guided him down the steps, away from the house. They did not look back before Eliza closed the door.

Nikolas collapsed on the sofa and hid his face in his hands. Eliza sat down next to him and gently wrapped her arms around him. Donner nuzzled him until the elderly man was forced to pet him.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. They can’t hurt you anymore,” she said.

“We won’t let them do anything to you,” Andrew said over the phone.

“Thank you, thank all of you,” Nikolas said. He looked straight at me, “Thank you most of all, Crystal, for your quick thinking in making that call.”

I shrugged.

“I just had the right contact.”

“But you also knew when and how to use it,” Nikolas insisted. “Not everyone can act like that under pressure.”

10:49 Tue, 23Jun

Chapter 44

watered at the smell of the tender pot roast, banana peppers, and slow-cooked. potatoes and carrots. It was heavenly.

Nikolas pulled a chair out for Eliza, and Andrew pulled one out for me. They then took their own seats at either end of the table. Before we could dig in, Nikolas raised his wine glass.

“A toast,” he said, “to Crystal Blanchard and Andrew Dubois, without whom, my happily ever after would not be possible.”

“Yes, to Crystal and Andrew,” Eliza continued, “may you both find your own happily ever after very, very soon.”

I blushed but raised my glass, tapping it against the elderly couple’s and Andrew’s. When I glanced at Andrew, he was taking the compliment much more gracefully.

“Thank you both for that wonderful toast,” he said as he set down his glass, “but I’m sure that Crystal would agree that it’s unnecessary. You would have found a way to be together, with or without us. After all, love always finds a way.”

He stared directly at me as he said this, and I could feel my cheeks grow hotter.

As dinner came to an end, Nikolas pulled Andrew and me to the side.

“I have some of the wedding dresses down in the basement if you would like to see their progress,” he said, “including your daughter’s dress, Andrew.”

Andrew perked up at the mention of Lisa’s dress.

“We would love to see how those are coming along,” Andrew replied. “Wouldn’t we, Crystal?”

Of course,” I replied.

Why would I pass up an opportunity like that?

“Excellent!” Nikolas said. “Follow me, then. Eliza, we’re going down to the basement.”

All right. Be careful with those stairs!” Eliza replied from the kitchen.

Andrew and I followed a suddenly animated Nikolas as he dashed to a door just off the dining room.

“These stairs are a little creaky, so be careful,” Nikolas warned as he flicked on the light in the basement.

We descended carefully down the stairs. Despite Nikola*’s warning about the steps, the basement seemed to be in overall good condition with no mold or other signs of disrepair. I was relieved, especially when I saw the five mannequins wearing the wedding dresses in various stages of repair.

At the front of the group of mannequins was one wearing Lisa’s dress. It stole my breath.

Once burnt beyond recognition, the dress glowed like new. The diamond- encrusted bodice shined more brilliantly than I remembered, and the jewels of the veil sparkled like stars in the night. The pure white fabric looked softer and more luxurious than ever, as though made of down feathers and clouds, rather than silk and lace.

It was a dress worthy of a princess.

“Obviously, Eliza and I have been putting most of our efforts into Ms. Dubois’s dress, but we have made tremendous strides in four of your other most expensive dresses as well,” Nikolas explained as we approached the mannequins.

“Nikolas…I…how?” I asked incoherently as I circled Lisa’s dress. “It’s like new. No, it’s better than new!”

“I’m so glad that you like it, my dear, but a magician never gives away his secrets,” Nikolas replied with a mischievous chuckle. “I believe we’re just about done with that one, so you should be able to pick up in a week or two.”

That’s tremendous,” I replied, still gaping at the quality of the restoration.

“You have certainly outdone yourself, my friend,” Andrew added, keeping his awe much more reined in than I was.

When Andrew touched the fabric, I could see Ni kola*’s eye twitch, but he did not say anything to stop the Alpha King.

The fabric is so soft, Andrew continued. “It’s hard to believe that this has ever been through a fire.”

“Yes, well, it took a lot of rebuilding, and some parts had to be recreated from scratch, but it was a labor of love.”

“I’m glad that this is what you love,” I said as I inspected the other dresses. “I would be in a load of trouble if it weren’t.

“I think we both owe each other a lot.” Nikolas grabbed my hands. “I meant what I said at dinner, and I cannot thank you enough for what you’re doing for Eliza and me,

I smiled slightly.

“Don’t think anything of it. You two deserve all the happiness in the world.”

Nikolas blinked as he tried not to cry.

“Well, it’s getting late, isn’t it? We should probably get back upstairs before. Eliza starts to worry.”

We spent the rest of the night chatting and catching Andrew up on Nikolas. and Eliza’s wedding plans. When the conversation came to a close, Andrew and I showed ourselves to our bedrooms, the same ones that we had the last time we stayed there.

As I was about to enter my room, Andrew put his hand over mine and leaned. in close to my ear.

“Today turned out to be a pretty good day, didn’t it?” he whispered.

His intoxicating smell made it hard for me to think.

“All things considered, yes,” I replied, my voice just as low as his.

“What do you say we keep the good vibes going?”

I blinked, partly in confusion, partly in shock.

“What do you mean?”

I mean, my room is just next door. I would like you to join me for the night.”